I have a lot of respect for Rick Riordan. He became famous for writing stories based on Greek and Roman mythologies. In 2010, he published the first of the Kane Chronicles which was based on Egyptian mythology. The series is not bad but it was pretty obvious that he was a little out of his depth. I believe this is what made him decide to start his own imprint where he would publish authors of color who would right about their own cultures mythologies and stories. That’s being an ally. Using his platform and influence to prop up other authors and highlight different cultures that wouldn’t normally have the opportunity. In The Sun and The Star, he follows the same pattern by teaming up with Queer Author Mark Oshiro to right his story of Nico. Nico has been a character from original Percy Jackson series that has really grown over the course of the books. All of the demigods have a tragic backstory but none more than Nico, the son of Hades. He was probably Rick’s first gay character in all of his books. His coming out scene is probably the most harrowing scenes in the whole saga. So it was good that Rick brought a co-author who can speak to what Nico was going through.
Nico ad his boyfriend Will go on a quest to Tartarus to save the Giant Bob. Bob was a former Giant that in past books had run ins with Percy and Annabeth and Nico. He was pushed into the River Lethe and lost his memories and becomes a janitor in Hades Palace. In the Heroes of Olympus when Percy and Annabeth fall into Tartarus, Bob saves them but they leave him behind and now Nico feels he has to go rescue him. The quest isn’t really about saving Bob but also for Nico to confront and to come to terms with his past. Nico is also probably one of the complex characters in all of the Percyverse. This was a beautiful send off to a great character. I don’t know what the future will be for Nico and the other characters but at least he is finally in a healthy and happy place and I love that for him and Will.
If you are not immediately charmed, heartbroken and uplifted after reading this then you should check your pulse. This is the perfect blend of romance, coming of age story and social commentary. It centers around a day in the life of Natasha and Daniel, two teenagers on the cusp of major changes in their lives. It also touches on the minor interactions that seem meaningless at the time but how that connection could and some times do change someone’s life. Natasha and her family are illegal immigrants from Jamaica who are being deported at 10 o’clock that night. She is trying to stop their deportation when she meets Daniel, a Korean-American boy who has the day off so he can prepare and meet for an interview for admission to Yale. From the moment they meet there is an immediate connection. They both share the immigrant experience of being from two places at the same time. Even, though Daniel was born in the US, he is often assumed to be from someplace else. He’s never Korean enough or American enough. Natasha was born in Jamaica but now has lived most of her life in the US. Her friends are here, her future is here she doesn’t want to leave. When they meet though, their futures couldn’t be different. Daniel’s life has already been planned out for him while Natasha’s is now unsure. Daniel’s parents are dead set on him and his brother to have a better life then they did, which means, Yale and becoming a doctor and marrying a Korean girl. Natasha, was planning on going to college and was going to be a data scientist and now all of that is uncertain. Anyway, they meet and while they don’t know anything about each other they know they have a special bond from the beginning. Daniel is a poet and romantic. He’s convinced that their meeting was fate. That they are meant to be. Natasha is a scientist and a realist. She doesn’t believe in love is real or anything that can’t be scientifically proven. As Natasha tries to kill time before she meets with an immigration lawyer Daniel convinces her to spend time with him to prove that love can be scientifically proven and so they go allover New York, getting to know each other and becoming first friends and then falling in love. They meet each other’s parents and face each other demons. While the story focuses on them, we get glimpses into the lives of the people around them. From their own family but the random people that they briefly come in contact with. The security guard that scans Natasha’s bag, the secretary of the lawyer. They all paint a picture of how we all relate to each other and how our decisions big and small can change a complete strangers life. It’s something to think about. It was talks about how racism presents itself in other communities. Daniel’s Korean parents own a black hair care store in Harlem but when his father and his brother meets Natasha they treat her in their shop. They own a shop that caters to black shopper and yet they can’t even hide their own negative biases. This was a beautiful novel that not only tells a perfect story of two kids struggling to figure out who they are while dealing with the forces outside of their control but also doesn’t shy from taking on tough issues of racism, immigration, depression and even family. You need to read this book is all I’m saying.
2 Women, So Many Books 